On March 30, the Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) released a two-year progress report on the Nuclear Safety Reform Plan that it has been pursuing since FY2013 (April 2013 to March 2014).
The report identifies future issues, based on measures the power company has implemented so far, regarding safety consciousness, technological capabilities and communications, considered some of the root causes of the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
TEPCO then revealed a new mechanism and organization for information disclosure. From now on, first of all, it will release all data on radiation levels measured at the NPS. The power company will then widely disseminate the data widely, online and otherwise, and hold press conferences to highlight issues of the most interest to the public. Finally, it will allow external monitoring and regular assessment of the new disclosure rules and performance to improve transparency and reliability.
So that the entire company demonstrates the spirit of information disclosure, TEPCO will strengthen the role of risk communicators, and promote and enhance dialogue between top management and local stakeholders.
Meanwhile, on April 1, TEPCO named Dr. John Crofts, currently the head of its Nuclear Safety Oversight Office (NSOO), to serve concurrently as the company’s chief nuclear safety officer, an executive position within the company.
Operating independently of the company, the NSOO has monitored TEPCO’s nuclear safety activities and advised on them. It will also now be reorganized and placed directly under the power company’s president.
Dr. Crofts, who was previously director in charge of security assurance of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), also participates in the discussions of a working group of experts and specialists on voluntary nuclear safety improvement, under Agency for Natural Resources & Energy (ANRE).
According to TEPCO, Dr. Crofts is the first foreign officer ever to serve at a Japanese electric power company.
